Yahoo News Brexit: May reveals plan for Commons vote on key legislation after late-night talks with Corbyn
Theresa May has vowed to bring forward key Brexit legislation for a Commons vote in the first week of June in what could be her last move as prime minister.
After a face-to-face meeting with Jeremy Corbyn, the prime minister said the cross-party talks with Labour to find a solution to the deadlock at Westminster will continue - despite both sides being downbeat about any resolution being found.
It came as the cabinet set a summer deadline for the UK to finally leave the European Union, after an extended meeting on Tuesday lasting over two hours at Downing Street.
Ministers agreed it was "imperative" to pass legislation ratifying Brexit before parliament rises for the summer break in July, and decided not to terminate the talks with Labour, which are now in their seventh week.
Following discussions with the Labour leader, a Downing Street spokesman said: 'This evening the prime minister met the leader of the opposition in the House of Commons to make clear our determination to bring the talks to a conclusion and deliver on the referendum result to leave the EU."
"We will therefore be bringing forward the Withdrawal Agreement Bill in the week beginning the 3rd June," they added.
The spokesman also described the ongoing talks, which entered their seventh week on Monday, as "useful and constructive", adding further discussions will take place on Wednesday "as we seek the stable majority in parliament that will ensure the safe passage of the withdrawal agreement bill and the UK's swift exit from the EU".
Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt also used a speech shortly after the cabinet meeting to warn that both the Conservative and Labour Party would be "crucified" by voters if they failed to respect the 2016 referendum result.
Referring to the cross-party talks, he told the Wall Street Journal CEO Council conference in London: "There is potential because when you look at the fundamentals it is actually in both parties' interests to resolve Brexit.
"Because both of us will be crucified by our base if we went into a general election having promised that we would respect the referendum result, not having respected it.
"And I think the lesson at the local elections is that the downside for Labour is as big as the downside for us. I don't think it's impossible that there could be a deal there."
But their was little enthusiasm in Brussels regarding any developments in Westminster, as a spokesperson for the EU commission said leaders of the 27 member states are on a "Brexit break".
They said the EU would only turn its attention to Brexit again "if there is something happening in London", as the UK's chief negotiator in the civil service, Olly Robbins, was expected to travel to the Belgian capital on Wednesday to discuss the future UK-EU relationship, post-Brexit.
John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor and close ally of the Labour leader, earlier claimed there had been no "significant shift" from the government. "And, let's be absolutely straight, today hasn't helped," he said.
On the prospect of a new Conservative leader tearing up any agreement that is reached, he added: "Our big problem now is, if we are going to march our troops in parliament to the top of the hill for a deal and then that's overturned within weeks, I think that would be a cataclysmic act of bad faith."
